Parade to honor isles' champions

The city will hold a Parade of Champions on Monday, Labor Day, in Waikiki for the Waipio Little League team, which won the Little League World Series; Hawaii Olympians both past and present; and other 2008 national titleholders.

The parade will begin at 5 p.m., running from Fort DeRussy, down Kalakaua Avenue, to Kapiolani Park.

Confirmed participants are the Waipio Little League world champions, Olympic gold medalist soccer player Natasha Kai, the Royal Hawaiian Band and marching bands from Aiea, Castle, Mililani and Waipahu high schools.

The event will end with a special Sunset on the Beach at Queen's Surf Beach at 6:45 p.m.

Bryan Clay returns home tonight

The public is invited to welcome home Olympic gold medalist Bryan Clay, who is scheduled to arrive tonight at Honolulu Airport.

Clay, who won the decathlon in the Beijing Olympic Games, is scheduled to arrive at 10:55 p.m. on American Airlines Flight 267.

Clay captured the silver medal for the decathlon in the 2004 Olympics. The Castle High School graduate is the first American to win the decathlon since Dan O'Brien in 1996.

First energy facilitator named

Gov. Linda Lingle named Joshua Strickler as the state's first energy facilitator to play a key role in reducing the state's dependence on imported oil and increasing the use of renewable energy.

Strickler's duties will include working on renewable-energy projects with the existing permitting process and streamlining the process, and coordinating energy projects.

"The state is fortunate to have someone with Joshua's experience join our efforts to have 70 percent of Hawaii's energy come from clean, renewable sources by 2030," Lingle said.

Strickler is a registered engineer and a licensed attorney. He previously worked as an attorney with Kobayashi Sugita & Goda on construction litigation.

Lingle had proposed creating an energy facilitator, which was approved by the state Legislature and which will fall under the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

COURTESY IMAGE
A stamp with Hawaii's flag is part of a new series.

State-flag stamp to be dedicated

A postage stamp bearing Hawaii's state flag will be issued Tuesday and dedicated in a special ceremony at Honolulu Airport.

The stamp is included in the second set - also featuring flags from the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Kansas - of a three-year series called "Flags of our Nation."

Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett will dedicate the Hawaii stamp at noon Tuesday in a public program at the courtyard of the Airport Post Office in Honolulu.

Collectors can buy the stamps and have them hand-canceled for free with a special commemorative first-day-of-sale postmark from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the courtyard.

Reward for reporting animal fight

The Hawaiian Humane Society is offering $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in illegal animal fighting.

U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo and the Humane Society made the announcement yesterday at a news conference in Honolulu.

"This announcement sends a clear message that illegal animal fighting will not be tolerated," Kubo said. "Cracking down on these activities reduces crime and creates safer communities."

Anyone with information about illegal animal fighting, such as cockfighting or dog-fighting, should contact their local law enforcement agency or the Humane Society, officials said.

Ledward Kaapana's guitar stolen

The musician is asking that the bird's-eye maple custom Ibanez guitar be returned, no questions asked.

According to an e-mail asking for help in finding the guitar, Kaapana and his sister Lehua stopped to get something to eat at Likelike Drive Inn, when the guitar was stolen from Kaapana's white Toyota Matrix at about 3 p.m.

HONOLULU

Man, 19, arrested in alleged robbery

Police arrested a 19-year-old man who allegedly robbed a 67-year-old taxicab driver at Tantalus at about 11 a.m. yesterday.

The 19-year-old flagged down a taxi in the downtown area and asked the driver to go to Tantalus Drive, police said.

The man, allegedly brandishing a handgun, demanded money from the driver, police said.

After a brief struggle, the suspect got out of the cab and fled on foot, police said.

Police searched the area and found the man nearby.

Police seek 2 men after victim is shot

Police were looking for two men in connection with the shooting of a man near Keeaumoku Street Tuesday night.

Police said the victim, 26, was arguing with the suspects at 9:48 p.m. when one of the suspects shot the victim in the forearm with a small-caliber handgun. The suspects then fled, police said. Police did not release descriptions of the suspects.

Boy, 14, arrested in robbery case

Police arrested a 14-year-old boy yesterday who was one of two suspects who allegedly robbed a 13-year-old boy in Honolulu.

The 13-year-old boy was walking home from school at about 3:30 p.m. Aug. 8 when the suspect tripped him and another boy allegedly put him in a headlock and held him down, police said.

Police said the 14-year-old took the victim's wallet from his pocket and fled.

The victim identified the suspect in a photo lineup Friday.

WEST OAHU

2 sought in beating and robbery in Aiea

Police are looking for two men who allegedly used a baseball bat to beat and rob a 49-year-old man in Aiea.

Police said the robbery happened at about 3:30 a.m. Monday at an Aiea bus stop.

Police said the man was sitting at the bus stop when the two men approached him.

The first suspect, a man believed to be about 26 to 27 years old, allegedly hit him about six times with a baseball bat. He is described as about 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 150 to 155 pounds.

The second man, described as being between 30 and 40 years of age, allegedly left and came back with a getaway vehicle. He is described as being 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 130 to 140 pounds and wearing a black beanie that covered his head. The first suspect allegedly grabbed the victim's backpack and fled in a vehicle being driven by the second man.

Police said the car was similar to a white Toyota Corolla or Camry.

CENTRAL OAHU

Police say man hit his ex-girlfriend

Police arrested a 38-year-old Wahiawa man early yesterday morning after he allegedly punched his ex-girlfriend when he saw her sitting in a parked car with another man.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and on two traffic warrants.